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If you’re heading for the Kandy perahera up in the hills, look out for this young man. Saman Siri known as “Kondeniye Saman” clinched seven presidential awards as the best Kandyan dancer and his group the award for the Best group in the Esala Perahera in 2009. He is an expert in Shanthi Karma, Kohomba Kankari and Shanthi Bali Karma.
Saman began dancing as a seven-year-old schoolboy at Vidyartha College and still continues to do so at the Esala Perahera. Saman is not only a dancer, but also a dance teacher in Kandy and the leader of a dance troupe comprising 40 dancers. He studied under veteran dance teacher Simon Malagama.
“I dance at the Perahera every year, and I missed it only the year I did my A/Levels,” he says.
Saman who has been in this field for 27 years dances for the Vishnu Devalaya in Kandy too. He has inherited this art from his grandfather who was a drummer.
“The Esala Perahera goes on for 10 days and during this time all of us work hard. Being a Kandyan dancer is not an easy task. “Kandyan dancing in Sri Lanka has improved to a great extent but many of the professionals who were a part of it have lost interest and gone into different fields, except for a handful who have dancing in their blood,” says Saman.
“Though we are professionals we are not treated as such. Since we come from the village, do not speak English and have no access to modern technology, we get little respect,” he says with regret.
He believes that Kandyan dancers should be from Kandy itself. They should have the real spirit of a Kandyan and work towards protecting this dynamic art, he feels.Saman also performs at cultural shows and weddings with his group.
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